Claustrophobia
by MoonSamurai
Summary: He wasn't panicking. Far from it. Deep breaths. Not yet, he wasn't.


Hey y'all! I thought I'd post this up for y'all to read while waiting for me to attempt to get the next chapter out.

Trigger warning for abuse. _Child_ abuse.

If you don't want to read stuff about it, _don't read this fic. _I'm warning you now!

Moon/Samurai doesn't own anything! LU is owned by Jojo the holy one!

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Deep breaths.

Calm.

Quiet.

Silent.

Breathless.

He was stuck in the dark, behind boulders and trapped away from the open land.

He needed to breathe.

He was going to run out of air.

He wasn't panicking.

Far from it.

Deep breaths.

Not yet, he wasn't.

His breaths were getting shorter.

They were getting rushed, slowly but he knew. He couldn't panic. He squeezed his eyes shut.

No.

He took another breath.

He wouldn't panic.

_He was eating his dinner when he burst in. He hadn't done anything wrong. There wasn't anything he had done._

_"Papa-" _

_"Don't call me that, you ungrateful little shit." _

_His voice boomed menacingly, scaring the seven year old. He advanced, his eyes narrowed and his mouth in a frown. _

_"Link, get your ass over here." _

_"P-Papa?" _

_"Now!"_

_Having little choice to obey, he got up, the table shaking as he leapt out of his chair. _

_"Papa, I-" _

_"Shut up."_

Twilight shook his head. He needed to get out of here. He could feel himself starting to panic, a scream bubbling out of his throat.

_A shout echoed through the house. "You little shitstain. You don't deserve to live in my house."_

He needed to get out.

_He was slung over his father's shoulder, his eyes refusing to open any longer. Tears streamed down his face as he squirmed slightly. _

_Not that it was of any use. _

_"Why I ever let you in is a mystery to me," his father hissed, heading to the basement. "I never should have let you in." _

_The boy sobbed silently, his body trembling in fear. _

_How would he be punished this time? _

_Growling under his breath, his father dropped him into the hole with the ladder._

_He hit the ground with a loud thud and a_ **snap.**

_Something snapped. Was it the floor? _

_Pain bloomed in his arm. He could feel something trail down his arm, but it was too dark to see what it was. It was probably blood. _

_"Stay down there, don't move. Don't say anything."_

He needed to get out. He couldn't stay any longer. It was behind him. He got over it long ago.

_He was silent as his dear father dropped down, lantern strapped to his belt. _

_"Get over here. Don't make a noise." _

_He quietly tiptoed to his father, who grabbed his hand roughly, and dragged him further in._

_"Papa, I'm scared..." _

_"Does it look like I care? Don't talk without permission," his father growled, slapping the little boy's face. _

_The boy fell silent, letting his father bring him into the darkness. _

_"Get in there," his father hissed angrily, slamming a door open. A small closet that could barely fit the young child, stood innocently, the door opened. It was dusty and there was nothing inside. _

_"Papa-" _

_**"Get in there now if you know what's good for you."**_

Twilight gasped, shaking his head.

No! He thought he could forget! He didn't want to remember!

A scream threatened to release again. No. He wouldn't succumb.

No.

No.

_Terrified, he scrambled inside, squeezing to fit. _

_"If I hear a sound from you... don't make a sound." _

Twilight shook his head, tears in his eyes.

He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, there had to be a way out-

_"Before you go." His father dragged him back out by his hair, ignoring his cries of protests. _

_"Don't move," he hissed, flipping the child over on his back._

_Twilight screamed, panic reaching new levels of high._

"LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT!" he shouted, slamming his fists into the boulders that separated him from the safety in the open world.

_His father dragged his hands back to one spot, tying something rough around his wrists. _

_"Don't make a noise. Don't make a sound, alright Link?" he muttered, flipping his son back up. _

_His son. What a joke. _

_For a moment, he relished the panic in child's eyes, leaning down and placing his hand on his mouth. _

_"Shhh..."_

He sobbed, helpless yells echoing through the cave.

"Someone, let me out! Get me out!" Twilight screamed again, sinking against the wall. He needed to get out. He couldn't do this.

_A small smile bloomed on his father's face. _

_"Don't say anything." He threw the helpless boy into the closet, slamming it in his face. Through the crack in the doors, he could see the light just barely. There was the sound of his father dragging something in front of the closet, and the light went out._

_He was trapped for who knew how long. He hated this. _

_His father had always hit him, never showing affection. He was never alone. _

_He sat in the darkness, letting the darkness consume him, letting his demons close in on him. He had tried not to make a noise. He didn't say anything, he didn't sob. He didn't move. Two nights and day passed. He never moved, never made a sound._

_His father had forgotten about him. Right? _

_He was starting to panic. He couldn't move or make a noise. He wanted to sob, do something, move, but he wouldn't. _

_His throat hurt, his stomach hurt, his arm hurt everything hurt. _

_He was still trapped in the darkness, swallowing him whole._

"GET ME OUT!"

Twilight slammed the wall again, shaking his head.

It was fuzzy, he couldn't think. There was a way out. He knew it. There had to be a way out.

_He could hear his father's footsteps. He had to get out, not again. No, no, not again. Never again-_

"-light! Twilight! Are you in there?!" A deep voice. He couldn't recognize it, but he knew he knew it.

"Twilight!" "Who-" Twilight tried, coughing. His throat was dry, his eyes hurt, _his head hurt so much-_

"Twilight?!"

"Time! TIME!" Twilight screamed, pouring all of his energy into his mentor's name.

"Twilight! Are you in there?!" Time's voice called, closer than before. Right in front of him, just past the rocks.

"I'm here!" the Ordonian called weakly, shaking in relief.

"Twilight, deep breaths. I'm going to get you out. Back away from the rocks!"

Twilight scrambled back, doing as he was told. He took a deep breath and held it, terror creeping up in his mind like black shadows.

There was the distinct sound of a fuse, and then-

_KABLAM_

A large explosion had Twilight cowering with his hands over his ears, trying to protect himself from the sound and debris raining down near him.

For a moment, he was quiet with his eyes shut. He couldn't hear anything.

Then someone shook him gently. For a moment Twilight thought it was his father again, ready to trap him within that damned closet again-

Time stood above him, looking very worried and ready to drag Twilight with him. "Pup? You good?"

Time knelt down next to Twilight, pulling his protege into a hug.

"Pup, are you-"

A sob made itself known as Twilight buried his face in Time's shoulder, tears dripping down his face.

"Pup..."

"I... I..."

"Deep breaths," Time repeated, rubbing Twilight's back soothingly. "You're gonna be alright, pup. I promise."

Twilight took a few shuddering breaths, trying to calm down. He couldn't get that face out of his mind- the face that had tormented him for so long.

"Deep breaths," Time repeated, rubbing Twilight's back soothingly. "You're gonna be alright, pup. I promise."

Twilight took a few shuddering breaths, trying to calm down. He couldn't get that face out of his mind- the face that had tormented him for so long.

He was completely out of his mind. But the fuzziness, the panic was clearing, slowly but surely.

A shiver ran through Twilight's back.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

Twilight gestured around him, and then to himself.

"For all of this."

A watery laugh bubbled out of his mouth. "I shouldn't have gone ahead, should I."

"Twilight, it's not your fault."

"I know."

_'It's his fault.'__Shaking, Twilight tore himself away from his mentor, wiping away his tears. _

"Pup, what happened?"

"Wha-"

"Don't dodge this. What happened?" Time asked firmly, concern coloring his eye.

Twilight was quiet, looking anywhere but his mentor's face.

"I..."

Another breath.

Time stared at Twilight. He never knew his protege was claustrophobic. Why was Twilight claustrophobic though?

It had to be a reason deeper than Wild's. Wild didn't react with complete panic and tears.

His gaze never wavered when Twilight looked back at Time, opening his mouth.

"I..."

Around twenty minutes later, Twilight was done talking.

Time's face had gone from confusion, to surprise, to anger, then to true _rage._

The Ordonian had never seen his mentor this mad.

"That bastard better had gone to hell," Time hissed. "Or better worse, let the goddesses condemn him."

"I'm being serious, pup."

"I know-"

"Why are you laughing?"

"I-I don't know!" Twilight shook his head, wiping away some of his tears. Time shared a smile, but it looked more forced than anything.

With a tight expression, Time rose, brushing his armor down. He extended a hand to his protege.

"If you're feeling up to it, let's get back with the group. They're waiting for you to return," Time said.

Twilight bolted up, sprinting past Time and straight into the open field.

He screamed again, but this one was triumphant.

Time turned to his protege, his expression relaxing.

They'd be fine.

He caught up to Twilight, who was laughing maniacally.

They never noticed the little shadow behind them, the little disappointed laugh when they were gone.

_"Haha! Maybe next time, it'll be even more fun!" _

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Hope y'all enjoyed that! I took a while writing it oops

I'd like to thank my friends KayZ and Jelly (smolkorok) for the motivation to finish this!

So yeah, stay awesome, keep looping, have a great day/night!


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